Yay! Now that you are pregnant, what's next? After the incredible high from finding out that you are pregnant, now it is time to start preparing for the months ahead.
I will be completely honest here; pregnancy is tough. Even though I am incredibly grateful that I finally got pregnant, but pregnancy is no walk in the park. (Take notes partners, your other half is about the go on a hell of a ride.)
No matter if you are going through an easy pregnancy or a difficult one, pregnancy is NOT comfortable. As my sister in law once told me, the only thing good about pregnancy is the baby afterward, the journey SUCKS! (And it does.)
Your body is going through changes that you have zero control over, all of a sudden, there are tones of stuff you cannot do, and your diet has to change drastically. (One of the hardest part I found.)
As the upcoming months are going to be tough, I have listed the survival kit that really helped me during my first trimester.
1. Prenatal Vitamins + Probiotics
This is the first thing I bought after I found out I was pregnant. If you are anything like me and have terrible morning sickness, then I would recommend stocking up on prenatal vitamins to ensure that you and your baby is getting all the daily essentials.
I could barely keep food down for the first few months, throwing up at least 4 times a day. Your baby will take what it needs to grow, but as a result, you will suffer. You might not feel the effect straight away, but after birth and as you get older, you will notice that your bones and joints will be affected if you don't take supplements during pregnancy.
I didn't take Probiotics at the beginning, because I didn't know, but I wish I did. Probiotics are good because it helps with your digestive symptoms, so you don't get constipation, which is very common during pregnancy as your digestive system slows down. So if you started taking Probiotics right from the beginning, it would help you eliminate that problem.
2. Ovia Pregnancy App
If you haven't used the Ovia app to help you keep track of your ovulation, I would highly recommend you download the Ovia Pregnancy App. Best of all - it's FREE!
Why do I love this app so much? It is your personalised walking pregnancy bible that you have with you every day. Not only does it help you keep track of a healthier diet during your pregnancy, but it has a Food Safety Lookup list that you can search whenever you are unsure if something is safe to eat or not.
Every week, it will tell you what your baby size will be and what to expect for you and your baby. It is so informative that I hardly used my "What to expect when you're expecting" book. As everything I need to know is already on the App. Every day you log in what you eat, how you feel physically and mentally, and you can even mark down when you have your next doctor's appointment so you won't forget. I found it extremely useful as well every time I go and visit the doctor, as all my past record is already logged into the app, all I have to do is open my app and search.
I have noticed that the more data you enter, the more personalised the advice the app gives you. For example, if you are having particularly bad constipation, or there is spotting or you are feeling particularly sad and down, they will provide you with advice on what to do next. Whether it is something to panic over, or it is just part of a normal pregnancy.
This app is easy to use, fun and informative - what's not to love about it?
3. Maternity leggings
I was extremely bloated during my first trimester. So my clothes quickly got uncomfortable, especially my jeans or anything that cinched in the waist. At first, I bought some loss dresses from Cos, but what I found was my lifesaver was Maternity leggings from Uniqlo.
They are so comfortable that I pretty much live in them. The material is super soft and stretchy so they will last you from early pregnancy till the end. (Even after, as it will take your body a while to lose the baby belly.
4. New Bras
Engorge boobs are also a common symptom of early pregnancy. I went up 2 cup size during the first month, so I had to go out and buy new bras to be comfortable.
I wouldn't get nursing bras just yet, as your boobs might continue to grow during your pregnancy. So I will just go out and get a couple of emergency bras for now and wait until you last trimester before purchasing nursing bras.
If you are like me with bigger cup size, head to Victoria Secret, their cup sizes go up larger than the ones from Marks & Spencer. Or there is always internet shop such as Figleaves and Bravissimo.
5. Maternity Underwear
Maternity underwear ain't sexy, but when you are pregnant, comfort is king. They either go all the way up over your tummy, or super low cut under the belly.
Just choose the style you are more comfortable with or a bit of both. Just like the jeans, you just don't want any more pressure on your waist or tummy.
6. Stretch Mark Oil or Cream
Start slathering yourself in oil or cream to prevent stretch marks. Different people prefer different brands and texture; it highly depends on your skin type.
If you like using oil, I know Bio-Oil is very popular amongst mums. Another favorite brand is Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula. Both have good and bad reviews, best to buy first buy a small bottle to try and see how your skin reacts to it.
If you like cream, Neal's Yard Mother's Balm is very popular as it is 100% organic and fragrance-free. I personally used Nu Skin ageloc Dermatic Effects cream, as I already had some at home and it worked great on my skin. But I do mix and match with oil sometimes if I feel the weather is unusually dry that day.
7. Pregnancy Pillow
I know some people will probably say you don't need it during the first trimester, and you don't. I personally only ordered mine near the end of my first trimester, but I wish I bought it sooner, as I slept so much better after I got it.
In the beginning, I slept with 3 pillows, one under my head, one on my left and another on my right. It worked for a while, but it kept waking me up in the middle of the night, as I will lose a pillow and I have to spend time looking for it. I am one of those "toss and turn" sleepers, where I have to move throughout the night.
After I got my maternity pillow, Leachco back n belly pillow, I could sleep through the night, not every night but most. I will admit - it is bulky, and it takes up half the bed, but it is so COMFORTABLE! The pillow encloses you, so you have a pillow to hug and have back support ( which is much needed as you go on in your pregnancy) no matter which side you sleep on. I love it; you feel like you are sleeping in a very comfy cocoon.
This is my top 6 items that I cannot live without during my first trimester, what is in your survival kit during your first trimester? Do you agree with my top 6 choices?
Coming soon in my next blog post, I will be talking about how I combat morning sickness. I will share with you what I found most useful during those nauseating 3 months, so stay tuned, follow me and signed up to my newsletter to find out when my newest blog post will be up.
Until then,
Sending you love and positive thoughts,
Christine xxx